The Polls—Trends

Abstract

Attitudes about sexual harassment in the United States are multifaceted and have shifted over time. This article examines a quarter century of public opinion trends from several major national surveys. The polls reveal the complexity and dynamism of these views amidst broader societal changes involving gender and views of discrimination. While perceptions of sexual harassment as a problem have dramatically shifted, some questions suggest that public interest ebbs and flows with national political events. This article also documents small gaps between women and men on these views and large gaps between Democrats and Republicans. While recent national attention has increased the survey record on sexual harassment attitudes, inconsistent question wording and temporal gaps between relevant surveys have led to uneven metrics over time.